GREAT TIT. 



PARUS MAJOR, Linn. 



Parus major^ Linn. S. N. i. p. 341 (1766) ; Naum. iv. p. 9; 



Heivitson, i. p. 149; Yarr. ed. 4, i. p. 479; Dresser, iii. 



p. 79. 

 Panis fringillago^ Macg. ii. p. 425. 



Mesange charbonnier, French ; Kohl-Meise, German ; 

 Quive-vive, Carpintero, Carbonei^o, Guerrero, Spanish. 



This bird is so widely distributed throughout the 

 British Islands, so conspicuous in plumage, so noisy, 

 and so generally well known under various nicknames, 

 that I feel it almost unnecessary to go into details 

 concerning it. I have met with it in every part of 

 England, Scotland, and Ireland that I have visited, 

 but in many of these localities it would not be 

 recognized by its legitimate name. In our district of 

 Northamptonshire it is generally known as " Blackcap " 

 or " Tom Tit," and I have heard the names " Ox-eye," 

 "Sawyer," "Saw-bird," and "Billy-biter" applied to 

 it elsewhere. It is a lively, restless bird, very quarrel- 

 some and bold. I know of many instances of its 

 killing and picking out the brains of small birds, and 



